Bosses at Public Health England have revealed that work on their £400m science hub, located on Coldharbour Road, will start next month after the health agency agreed contracts with three leading construction firms.

PHE claim that the appointment of the three contractors to undergo the construction of the site will be a huge boost to local employment, particularly with the selection of local firm VolkerFitzPatrick, whose main office is in neighbouring Hoddesdon.

PHE Harlow, as the campus will be known, is expected to employ up to 2,750 people by 2024, with scope for further expansion.

The project will see building work and refurbishment of the new and existing laboratories and office areas, construction of a new arrivals area and logistics centre and development of its site-wide infrastructure including car parking.

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Richard Gleave, PHE Deputy Chief Executive, said: "PHE is delighted to have secured three of the leading construction companies in the UK to deliver what will be a world-leading national and international resource.

"Much of the work to create PHE Harlow is highly specialised so it’s especially pleasing to have secured three of the best companies in their fields to deliver that work.

The site located at New Frontiers Science Park already has existing buildings, but developers will incorporate more labs and offices on the site

"This is yet another milestone for PHE and we can now look forward to the chosen contractors coming on board and bringing their considerable wealth of experience and skills to our programme.

"We are also delighted at the very significant opportunities that the construction of PHE Harlow will offer in the surrounding area."

It is expected to be PHE's most important UK hub after it was picked out of a shortlist of 10 other potential sites.

Facilities from Porton in Wiltshire and Colindale in north London, as well as PHE’s central London headquarters, will be relocated to Harlow.